Clear snow from the roof. How to remove snow from the roof with your own hands

Lush caps of snow on the roof look very beautiful, but homeowners have good reasons remove these white covers. Fortunately, today there are many tools to make your work easier.

If you do not clear the snow, its masses will put pressure on the roof, which can lead to subsidence and even collapse. But this is not the only danger. A series of frosts and thaws leads to the formation of ice. In spring, the ice crust melts and water seeps into the smallest cracks in the roofing. At the same time, rafters and others wooden elements structures begin to rot.

It is not yet possible to solve the issue of cleaning the roof without human intervention. Cable systems heating prevents snow from accumulating around the perimeter of the roof and accumulating in gutters, but the bulk of it remains on the slopes. Snow retention systems (grids installed at the edges along the overhangs) save from sudden avalanches, but also do not completely solve the problem. Snow from the roof has to be removed manually. More precisely, using various tools.

Snow shovels

If the roof is flat and you can walk on it without risking your life, the easiest way is to use a regular shovel. But even this simple tool must be chosen wisely. What should you pay attention to first? Of course, onto the ladle.

Shovels with metal bucket durable, but quite heavy. In addition, during operation they produce an unpleasant grinding noise, which can be heard inside the house.

When clearing snow with a metal shovel, you need to act carefully. The sharp edges of the bucket can damage soft roofing materials such as shingles.

Wooden shovels also quite heavy, but safe. True, their lifespan is relatively short. Usually, after one or two seasons of use, you have to buy a new tool.

Finally, plastic shovels light, comfortable, but also not very durable. Under influence low temperatures The plastic becomes brittle and breaks easily. Of course, there are models made from high-quality frost-resistant polymers, but they are not cheap.

Now let's talk about the cuttings. It should be comfortable, durable and lightweight. The wooden ones are not very good - they are too smooth, which is why they slip out of your hands, and are quite heavy. Plastic ones are much lighter and more convenient, but they do not withstand the cold well. But the metal cuttings show themselves the best way, although they are relatively expensive.

It is best if the shovel handle has a telescopic design. Then the snow can be removed almost without leaving the spot.

Scrapers (scrapers)

If the roof of the house is pitched, it is unsafe to walk on it. It is better to remove snow from the ground using a scraper. Typically, a tool of this kind has a telescopic handle (metal or plastic). But some manufacturers offer prefabricated structures of 3-4 tubes 1.2-1.5 m long. If a very long handle is not needed, you can remove several elbows, thereby reducing the weight of the equipment. And this is very useful, because it sometimes takes several hours to remove snow from the roof, constantly holding your hands up.

When choosing a scraper for cleaning roofs, you should pay attention to its weight. It should not exceed 3 kg, otherwise it will be difficult to work with the tool

The tool's scraper is a long, narrow blade mounted at an angle, much like a garden rake. For most models on the market, it is made of frost-resistant plastic. Metal blades are quite rare. They are more durable than plastic ones, but they are also heavier, more expensive and more dangerous.

When choosing a scraper, you should pay attention to the number of attachment points for the scraper to the handle. It is desirable that there be three of them, not one. It will be stronger this way. Stiffening ribs with reverse side The blades also significantly extend the life of the tool. Some manufacturers equip their models with rubberized pads or plastic brushes, which improves the quality of cleaning.

In addition to the “rake”, there is another interesting type of scraper. Instead of a scraper, a metal puller in the form of a rectangular loop is attached to its handle. It cuts off layers of snow and they just roll down. Some tools have a special tape - a guide that regulates the movement of the snow flow, but you can do without it.

The main advantage of a scraper with a metal puller is that it allows you to remove huge layers of snow from your roof in one motion. Working with a conventional scraper requires much more time and effort.

1 Special devices
2 Bottle-rope method
3 Warming the roof

To a certain extent, snow cover can serve as insulation in winter period time. The problems begin when there is precipitation a large number of. Their significant weight can damage the entire structure. Also, layers can melt and build up, which can lead to damage to the roof. To prevent all this from happening, you need to know how to remove snow from the roof with your own hands.

Special devices

Can adapt a hoe

If you live in a private house, then cleaning roofs will not cause much difficulty, as it might seem at first. To do this, you can build several simple devices. In most cases it is enough to simply pry upper layer, and it may already entail everything else.

if you have personal plot, then a hoe must be available. You need to take it and close the blade with a plastic or wooden cover. To do this, you can make a small slot in the block at half the depth and use plastic ties to secure it. Now you need to lengthen the handle. This can be done using aluminum or other light alloy tube. A long wooden holder is also suitable for such purposes. Next, using this tool, carefully pry up the layers and pull them towards ourselves. It is important to stand at a sufficient distance so that you yourself are not covered.
Next option there will be a similar design, but instead of a hoe blade, you can take a piece of corrugated sheet or tin, fix it perpendicular to the holder at the end and clean it in the same way.
You can make another simple device. For this we need steel wire with a diameter of more than 10 mm. You need to make a rectangle out of it. Its sides can be 30×20 cm, 40×30 cm. They are selected depending on the circumstances. It needs to be made in such a way that the two ends meet in the middle and they can be bent at an angle of 90˚ for the outlet, which will then be attached to the rod. The result should be a bent rectangular net. It is necessary to attach a PVC sheet or thick oilcloth to the bottom side of the frame, which will be the same in width as the larger side of the rectangle and 1.5-2 m in length. Cleaning is done as follows: the device must be positioned so that the film is at the bottom. We move our tool so that the layers of snow pass through the net. Once on the oilcloth, they will roll down freely. Thus, in several passes you can remove all or part of the sediment from the roof.

Special device

If you don’t want to do something yourself, you can purchase finished design. In appearance, it usually resembles a curved snow shovel with a telescopic handle. The canvas is made of plastic, so it is light in weight and can be easily raised to roof level.

Device in action:

Bottle-rope method

For this option we will need the usual plastic bottles(it is better if it is possible to use plastic cans), as well as strong rope. The length of the rope should be several meters longer than the size of the two roof slopes.

Cut off the neck of bottles or canisters. total length maybe up to 10 cm. There is no point in making it too big, because they will bend.
We select a drill according to the diameter of the rope and drill a hole in the lid. You can do it with a knife. We put the lid on the rope and tie knots on both sides so that it is fixed.
If desired, you can cut sharp teeth on the scraps of the bottle for better grip.
We screw the neck that we cut onto the lid. We place everything in such a way that at one end of the stretch the lids look up. At the second end we place everything the same way, but we turn the bottles in the opposite direction.
The distance between these two parts should be equal to the length of the roof slope. It is better not to reduce it so as not to catch the skate when performing the task.
If you used bottles rather than cans, you can make several of these ropes and tie them into a knot along the edges.
Next, we throw the rope over the roof and play tug of war with your friend or life partner. This way we can remove the thickness of the snow.

If there is no one who could hold the other end, then you can hook the middle of the structure to a chimney or other stand and alternately pull the edges of the rope yourself.

Warming the roof

Roof heating cable

It is important to know that this method is not suitable for all types of roofing. Some decking may simply burst due to a sudden change in temperature, causing more harm than good. Others can easily ignite. For such purposes it is sometimes recommended to use construction hair dryer. But imagine how long you will have to run and stay on the roof to warm up the whole thing. Please note that this method will be available if you have an attic that is not used for an attic, and the roof itself is not insulated along the perimeter of the flooring.

To achieve maximum results, use heat guns. It would be better if these were electric units.
Do not use devices that contain open flames.
The heating location must be changed at regular intervals, otherwise unnecessary temperature changes may occur.
Always stay close to the device so that you can take action in case of an unexpected situation.
Provide good ventilation. During work heating devices absorb oxygen from the air very quickly.

When cleaning your roof, use a safety net.

Sometimes clearing the roof of snow and ice can be done using a hammer drill or a chisel with a hammer. This happens when the frozen layer has already reached sufficient thickness and can cause injury to others when it slides. In other situations, you can use the standard method. To do this you will need a shovel and a long ladder that can be raised to the ridge. You just need to climb in and throw off the snow.

This should be done very carefully so that the layers do not begin to shift and knock you down along with the stepladder. Use safety belts. You can speed up the melting of snow by installing a heating cable system in advance. In this case, you do not have to apply special effort– just click the toggle switch. The collected snow can be taken to the garden or flower beds. Subsequently, it will become a source of moisture.

Winter is not only joy and evening walks along the street, but it is also an endless struggle with precipitation that periodically falls on the surface of the earth. In this case, snow brings not only positive emotions, but also creates unnecessary problems with cleaning it.

Removing snow is sometimes not as easy as it might seem at first glance. It all depends on the amount of precipitation, as well as methods of cleaning it. IN modern world There are simply a huge number of tools that can help in one way or another with removing snow from the territory, while spending a minimum of time.

In order to guess with a tool, you need to study each of them and come to an informed conclusion.

As mentioned earlier, there are a lot of tools for snow removal, so not everyone is able to accurately determine what is needed. But all of them are somehow divided into several categories, which greatly simplifies the time spent on choosing.

Manual method of removing snow using a shovel or scraper

The shovel is not only the most common tool, but the most reliable. After all, the shovel has absolutely no complex parts in its design that could fail.

Working with a shovel is very productive. If when using heavy equipment certain resources may run out, then when working with a shovel everything depends only on the physical capabilities of the person. The same goes for the scraper.

A distinctive feature of a scraper from a shovel is their size. The scraper is much wider than the shovel, which allows you to get rid of snow deposits much faster. But there is one drawback here - when working with a scraper, difficulties often arise with the passage of the tool. If a person has weak physical characteristics, then working with this tool will be very difficult.

Snowblower

The best option for snow removal over large areas is the use of specialized snow removal equipment. All work is carried out using heavy or semi-heavy equipment, which allows you to get rid of a large scale of snow deposits in a relatively short period of time.

To snow removal equipment can be attributed:

tractor with special accessories;
snow blower;
snow removal rotor and much more.

If you need to clear the area of snow as quickly as possible, then the equipment will the best option. But even here there are drawbacks in the form of a constant need for fuel or management personnel. Also, most vehicles have very decent dimensions, and therefore are unable to fit on the site. In general, the equipment is able to cope with the task at hand with a solid “A”.

Video: comparison of snow removal with a shovel and a gasoline snow blower

Worth knowing! If you need to clear a small area of snow, then there is no need to purchase heavy equipment. You can get by with less expensive snow removal tools.

Chemicals

This is perhaps the most expensive way to clear an area of snow, both in terms of time and financial costs. This method cleaning allows you to get rid of snow using an almost passive method. You just need to spread the reagent over the area and wait for the snow to melt.

Important! The chemical method can be used to remove snow only in places where it will not cause harm to humans and animals. In most cases, toxic salts are used, which, when in contact with the skin and mucous membranes of a person, can cause harm to his body.

Snow removal with chemical means occurs by mixing or applying reagents on top of the snow, which, under the influence of the environment, melt the snow, leaving only water or steam with reagent impurities.

other methods

There are also more radical ways clearing snow deposits. Their use implies the use of physical laws in the right direction. For example, one common method is simple snow blowing. Through the action of air masses on snowdrifts, snowflakes are blown over a long distance, leaving an absolutely clean surface.

Another common method is melting snow. With the help of special melting plants, snow turns into water in a matter of seconds. The resulting water can be very easily directed to its intended purpose or simply poured out.

That's not all alternative ways snow removal. You can add new ones to them using your own logic and ingenuity. The main criterion is rationality, which is sometimes very difficult to achieve.

After the most common methods of snow clearing have become known, we can proceed to their immediate description. After all, in this matter you need not only to choose the right tool, but also to know how to use it.

How to remove snow in the yard using a shovel and scraper

It would seem that it could be easier than working as usual snow shovel? But even here there are pitfalls that can have a significant impact on the workflow.

In order to remove snow with a shovel with your own hands, first of all, you need buy a quality tool. Determining its quality is very simple - you need to check the integrity of the shovel, as well as the quality of the material used in production. If the quality inspires confidence, then you can purchase it.

Advice! Before starting work, be sure to do a warm-up. This is necessary to avoid injury during work in the form of sprains or other injuries.

Snow is removed quite easily with a shovel. All that is necessary is to gradually remove the masses of snow that will be encountered along the way. The main thing is not to take too much, then the work will be completed much faster than planned.

The purpose of a scraper is somewhat similar to a shovel. The only difference is that the scraper does not come off the ground and literally pries up the snow masses from below. When snow has accumulated in the scraper cavity, it can be transported to the designated location without any problems.

How to remove snow from your property using snow removal equipment

If you have any snow removal equipment available, this greatly simplifies the snow removal process. After all, the main work is done by technology, a person only directs it to the required place.

The process of clearing snow using equipment primarily depends on the type of equipment itself. For example, there is tractor type MTZ with front bulldozer, which is designed for clearing snow. In this case, everything is simple - you just need to prepare the transport for work and clear the snow masses, delivering them to the far corner of the territory, or even load it into auxiliary transport.

Most often it is used as snow removal equipment for household needs. snow rotor. A rotor is a device that is attached to small-sized equipment like a mole or to a mini tractor, the main element of which is screw.

Video: clearing snow with a snow rotor

To clear snow on the site with such a device, you must follow some recommendations.

The snow drain on the device must be directed in the opposite direction from the direction. Thus, the bulk of the snow will be directed in the right direction.
If height snow cover is more than 1 meter, then it is necessary with remove the top layers with a shovel. In this case, the likelihood of equipment failure will be minimized.
Best to use rotors on gasoline engines . They are independent of the distance to the power source, which allows them to be used even in the most remote areas of the territory.

In general, when using such transport, you must first of all pay attention to its capabilities and not exceed them. In this case, the work will be done efficiently, and the equipment will not fail.

Removing snow in the yard with chemicals

The most common method chemical control with snow is use . This method has many advantages, including:

availability;
quick solution to problems with ice and snow cover for a long period of time;
action occurs immediately after distribution.

Principle of operation similar mixtures of sand and technical salt is very simple: since the heat capacity of sand is much higher than snow, under the influence of sunlight it heats up, after which the resulting thermal energy acts on snow by melting it. This is very effective way, since snow remains on the territory until the end of winter.

There is also purely chemical reagents, which work on the principle of absorbing moisture and subsequent freezing. But their use is not only dangerous for others, but also very expensive to use.

How to remove snow from the roof

When snow accumulates on your roof, it causes a lot of problems. For example, a passerby can easily be injured by the fall of large masses of snow. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of snow on the roof as quickly and efficiently as possible.

What and how is it better to remove snow from the roof of a private house?

For similar purposes Only one tool will do - a shovel. IN in rare cases You can use a regular scraper.

If the roof has horizontal arrangement, then the snow can be cleaned in the same way as on the ground. Before starting work you only need secure yourself with a rope or cable.

Video: how to quickly remove snow without falling off the roof

But if snow removal work is planned to be carried out on sloped roof, then here you need to follow a number of tips and requirements.

Before starting work it is necessary warm up thoroughly. This is necessary in order to avoid injuries or sprains, as well as to increase the overall tone of the body.
Since the work is carried out at height, it is necessary to take care of your own safety. To do this you just need secure to the roof ridge with a cable. The cable should not restrict movement.
Using a shovel, you need to throw down masses of snow. In this case it is necessary stand firmly on the roof surface so as not to fall down.
If there is a lot of snow, you can use a scraper.

In most cases, you need to navigate the site, taking into account all the key points (roof slope, distance to the building, etc.).

Video: clearing the roof of snow

If you follow all the tips, removing snow on your property or from your roof will become not only easy, but also a virtually cost-effective process. You just need to choose the right method and tool for clearing snow. If you do everything correctly, you will save not only time, but also money.

In contact with

Most of the inhabitants of our country live in latitudes characterized by harsh and snowy winters. When there is a lot of snow, it is good to play snowballs, ski or sled, but if it begins to accumulate on the roofs of houses, problems may arise. serious problems. Due to temperature fluctuations, snow melts and freezes again, causing icicles and ice to form on the roof. When a certain weight is reached, all this mass can fall down, so it is necessary to remove snow from the roof in a timely manner.

Why do you need to clean your roof from snow and ice?

When there is a lot of snow in winter, this is good, but in some cases it creates many problems. If you do not clear snow and ice from the roof in a timely manner, their fall can lead to a number of unpleasant consequences:

damage to people's health. Every year, many people suffer injuries of varying complexity from ice falling from the roof, and sometimes it even ends in death;
People nearby may be injured when snow falls from the roof.
roof damage. Although the design of the roof must take into account the characteristics of the region in which the house is located, and it is designed for certain loads, situations may arise when the mass of the snow cover exceeds the maximum permissible weight. This will lead to damage to both the roof covering and rafter system roofs. Much easier and cheaper regularly in winter time clear the snow before repairing or replacing the roof;
The roof of a high-rise building may collapse under the weight of snow
damage to objects located near the house;
When a large amount of snow falls from the roof standing nearby with a house, cars can get seriously damaged
spoiled appearance. A large and uneven cover on the roof of a house does not look very attractive. It clearly indicates how accustomed the owners are to cleanliness and order. It is much more pleasant to look at a house whose roof and surrounding area are cleared of snow and ice in a timely manner.

The Ministry of Construction of the Russian Federation has developed rules for utilities, which determine what maximum layer of snow can be on multi-storey building and how often you need to deal with icicles. There are no such standards for private houses, so each owner makes his own decision about when to clear the roof of snow.

According to existing standards, on the roof apartment building the maximum snow cover should not exceed 30 cm.

According to existing standards, on the roof of a high-rise building maximum height snow cover should not exceed 30 cm

Rules for clearing snow from the roof

Since clearing the roof of snow is a high-altitude work, there is a risk to the life and health of both those doing it and those nearby.

Requirements for clearing snow from the roof can be divided into:

state They are established by the government and are intended for firms professionally engaged in the specified type of work;
household In this case, there are no clear standards. Household requirements include a set of recommendations, compliance with which will allow you to independently clear the roof of snow and ice as safely as possible.

People over 18 years of age who have the necessary qualifications are allowed to perform this type of work.

Basic rules for clearing snow from your roof:

Specialized companies clear roofs of snow in accordance with SNiP II-26–76. The cost of work is influenced by the following factors:

complexity;
volume;
altitude;
the need to use special equipment.

Precautionary measures

When clearing snow from a roof, the following dangers arise:

heavy weight of falling snow and ice;
scattering of fragments;
height and shape of the roof. The roofs of private houses usually have a pitched structure, and fencing is most often not provided on them;
slippery surface.

Safety precautions when clearing the roof of snow imply a set of certain rules that will help avoid the possibility of injury. For different groups people (pedestrians, drivers, residents of apartment buildings and private buildings, workers), these rules will differ.

For residents of private houses

Most often, owners of private houses remove snow from the roof themselves. This is not very difficult to do, since the height of the building is usually small.

When performing work on a private house, you must adhere to the following rules:

You cannot do the work alone. Your partner will help you organize your insurance correctly. In case of a fall and injury, he will be able to come to the rescue in time;
It is necessary to work together, so that in case of a fall or injury, a partner can provide assistance in time
even if you don’t go out onto the roof, but work from a ladder, you still need to arrange insurance. The cable is secured through the ridge of the house to reliable support. Both the support and the cable must support triple the weight of the worker;
It is mandatory to use insurance while carrying out work.
when working from a ladder, you need to be on the side of the place where you are clearing the snow;
To move on the roof, you should wear shoes with grooved soles that provide maximum grip on the surface;
If you are unwell or tired, you cannot perform work on the roof;
You also cannot work while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

For employees of snow removal companies

Employees of companies involved in clearing roofs of snow must remember that not only their superiors, but also themselves should take care of the safety of their work.

When clearing the roof of snow, you must follow these rules:

Methods for cleaning the roof from snow and ice

You can remove snow and ice from the roof using different cleaning methods:

movement of snow cover. The method is suitable for clearing snow and thawed ice. In this case it is used physical strength a person who, using a shovel or similar object, rests on a layer of snow and pushes it down. During frosts, it will not be possible to clear the roof of ice using the moving method.;
To remove snow using the moving method, a person must be in good physical shape
mechanical destruction. This option is used when the thickness of the icy layer is more than 20 cm. Using an electric or chainsaw, the ice is cut into small pieces. This is a difficult cleaning method to use, so it is used only in extreme cases when other methods are ineffective;
Sawing ice is done using an electric or chainsaw
heat. this one good preventative method, since its use does not allow snow to accumulate. If a large layer of snow has already formed on the roof, then heating will be ineffective. In this case, the simultaneous use of heat and vibration helps. The disadvantage of this method is that it requires electricity to organize it;
Heating the roof allows you to melt the snow, then it comes off the roof on its own
vibration. In this way, snow can be cleared from the roof in any weather, but ice can be cleared only during a thaw. The advantage of using vibration is that you can clean the roof while in the attic of your home. The main disadvantage is that this method can only be used on durable rafter systems with reliable roofing material. To create vibrations, several electric motors are attached to the rafter system, on the shafts of which hockey pucks are placed, but not in the center, but offset. For 100 m 2 of roof, one vibrator with a shaft rotation speed of up to 2 thousand revolutions per second is sufficient. The effect does not appear immediately, but after 20–60 minutes of operation of such equipment. It will take 2–4 hours for the snow to clear from the roof, and 4–8 hours for the ice to melt. It is most effective to use a vibrator during a thaw.
It is best to clear the roof of snow using vibration during a thaw.

There are several ways to clean a roof, depending on where the worker is at the time:

on the stairs. The method is used when there is no more than 3–4 meters from the ground to the lower edge of the roof;
on the ground. Used if the lower edge of the roof is no more than 3 m;
on a hydraulic lift. It is possible to work at a height of up to 20–30 meters, while the cradle can contain no more than 300 kilograms;
on the roof;
in the attic.

Features of cleaning roofs made of different roofing materials

Regardless of the type of roofing material, snow must be removed from the roof carefully so as not to damage the coating. On soft roofs, work must be done especially carefully. You can only use plastic or wooden tools. In order not to damage the roof, the snow should not be completely cleared, but should be made into a layer about 5 cm thick.

Features of snow cleaning with different types roofs:

Attic. The difficulty of performing work here is most often associated with a large slope. There is practically nothing to attach the insurance to the roof, so it is usually fixed on the ground and thrown onto the opposite slope. If metal tiles are used to cover the attic roof, it is better to entrust its cleaning to professionals. This is due to the fact that the lathing on such roofs is usually not very strong, and the material itself is soft and slippery, so you need to walk on the roof very carefully. It is best to equip a metal attic roof with a heating system around the perimeter, which will ensure the independent melting of snow and ice.
The peculiarity of the attic roof is that it has steep slopes and a slippery surface,
Galvanized. This best option for clearing snow, so the job is simple and easy. Usually the snow melts on its own and accumulates at a level of 1–2 meters near the cornice. It is enough to walk along the roof, throw snow off it and knock down the icicles that have formed.
Galvanized pitched roof The easiest way to clear snow
Warm flat. In such structures, the drainage is installed inside the roof. Clean flat roofs Only necessary if there is a lot of snow. If precipitation falls normally, the snow has time to melt on its own and be removed through the drainage system. Icicles usually do not form on such roofs. To remove snow from them, it will have to be carried to the edge where it can be safely dumped on the ground.
If precipitation falls normally, then there is no need to clean a flat warm roof from snow, since it has time to melt on its own

To remove icicles from multi-storey building you need to invite specialists; in a private house you can cope with this task yourself.

When performing work, you must be especially careful, since to remove icicles you need to be on the edge of the roof or next to the formed ice, so there is a high probability of falling off or getting injured.

You need to be especially careful when removing icicles.

To remove icicles from the roof of a house you can use:

laser devices. Ice is removed using a directed beam of light;
ultrasonic devices. They destroy ice due to a pulse emitted in the required range;
heating cable;
steam installations. Icicles are removed under the action of a steam jet;
chemicals. When using technical salt, you must remember that it corrodes not only ice, but also roofing materials. To clean the roof, it is not recommended to use reagents that contain sodium and calcium chlorides. Effective means are “Bishoft”, “Rockmelt” and others;
mechanical means - a strong pole or spear for ice, an axe, an ice ax, a hacksaw, an electric or chainsaw;
impulse installations. During their operation, impulses are created, as a result of which short-term deformation of the roof occurs and the icicles are destroyed.

Video: how to remove icicles from a roof

Special tool

The following tools can be used to clear snow from your roof:

Snow rake or scraper. With this device you can clear snow from the roof of a private house while on the ground. It has a telescopic handle, so you can adjust its length. As the frame moves up the roof slope, snow falls on the tarpaulin, after which it slides down on its own. You can buy a ready-made device or make it yourself from profile pipe and a piece of awning.
With help special device snow is removed from the roof while on the ground
Wooden scraper. You can make a simple and effective device with your own hands. To do this, you will need a long wooden pole, to the end of which a board 45 cm long is nailed. To fix it, spacers are used, which are installed at an angle of 45 o. Outwardly, such a tool resembles a large hoe. You can buy a ready-made scraper in the store.
You can make a scraper yourself or buy a ready-made one in a store.
Shovel. For cleaning roofs, it is best to use wooden or plastic shovels with a telescopic or rotating handle.
To clear the roof of snow, it is convenient to use a shovel with a telescopic handle
Snow spear. Such a tool is necessary to combat icicles. When performing work, you must be on a ladder located on the side of the ice that has formed.
Using a snow spear is convenient for knocking down icicles
Device from plastic bottles or cans. To make such a device you will need rope and 6-10 canisters or bottles.

Let's look at how you can make a device for cleaning snow from the roof with your own hands from plastic cans or bottles and rope:

Cut off the top of bottles or canisters measuring about 10 cm with a lid.
U plastic canister cut off the top part so that the lid and about 10 cm of the working part remain
Holes are made in the corks slightly smaller than the thickness of the rope.
Pass the rope through the hole in the cork and secure it with knots on both sides. After this, screw the neck onto the cork. 3-5 bottles are fixed in the same way. It is necessary that the necks “look” in one direction.
Do the same with 3-5 other bottles or canisters, but the necks should be directed in the other direction.
Between the outer plugs of two rows with different directions of the necks, leave a distance approximately equal to the length of the slope, or slightly less.
The work is carried out by two people: the device is thrown over the roof so that the necks of the bottles are directed towards the ridge.
To work with a device made from plastic bottles or canisters, you will need two people located at different sides roofs
They take turns pulling the rope in one direction and the other and, gradually moving to the side, clear the roof of snow.

Video: removing snow with a simple tool

Salt and special chemicals

You can remove snow from the roof using technical salt or special chemicals. These substances are sprinkled on the snow, which significantly speeds up the process of its melting, after which it comes off the roofs on its own. Technical salt spoils roofing material, so it can only be used in the most extreme cases.

It is more convenient and safer to use special reagents. When a solid substance hits the snow, it begins to absorb moisture and then turns into liquid state and generates a lot of heat. As a result, the snow begins to melt and slide off sloping roofs on its own.

Heating snow and ice on the roof

Another way to clear the roof of snow is to heat it. For this purpose, special anti-icing systems are installed. They are based on a heating cable, which is laid in places where icing occurs, usually along the edge of the roof.

Two types of cable can be used to heat the roof:

Using hot water

One of the simplest and available ways getting rid of snow and ice on the roof is hot water, but there are some nuances here too:

it is not always available in the required quantity;
flowing to the ground, hot water cools and soon turns into ice;
it is necessary to organize a continuous supply hot water, otherwise more may form large quantity icicles

It is best when water is supplied to the roof from a hose. Then you can completely clear the roof of snow. The disadvantage of this method is that a thin layer of ice forms on the surface, but its weight compared to a large layer of snow will be insignificant.

Hot water makes it easy to clean soft roof, since the use of mechanical cleaning methods on it can damage the coating.

Cleaning the drainage system

In winter, during thaws, the drainage system often cannot fully fulfill its purpose. This may be due to the following reasons:

You can correct the situation yourself. To do this, you need to clear the gutters of debris. Ice can be removed using hot water. To clean the drain, you can also use special reagents, such as Snow and Ice Remover. It is enough to pour the amount of the drug indicated in the instructions into the drainpipe, and after a while it will corrode the formed ice plug.

In addition, cable heating can be installed in gutters and downpipes. After several minutes of operation of such a system, the gutters will be cleared of snow and ice.

Video: creating a heating system for a drain

What to do if snow blows under the roof

If snow begins to blow under the roof, this leads to damage to the rafter system, elements of the roofing pie, as well as the ceiling, resulting in stains appearing on the ceiling and deterioration interior decoration. The main reason for snow getting under the roof is a violation of the technology for installing roofing materials.

If the roof construction technology is violated, snow will fall into the attic

Snow can get into the attic through roof ribs, valleys, ridges, or through kinks. In order to correct mistakes, you can use polyurethane foam. It fills all the cracks on the roof surface in the indicated places.

It is recommended to use foam in humid weather, as in this case it will set better. Please note that as the foam hardens, it expands, so you should not overuse it.. After a few hours it will harden, and the excess will need to be cut off.

After the foam has hardened, its remains are cut off with a knife.

You can also use special universal seals on a self-adhesive backing, which are installed in problem areas.

The seal is usually installed under the ridge element, but it can also be used to close detected gaps

Video: how to eliminate snow blowing under the roof

Common mistakes when clearing snow from a roof

If this is your first time clearing your roof of snow and ice, you may make the following mistakes:

Chipping of ice and frost. When hitting ice with a shovel or crowbar, damage to the roofing occurs:
- cracks appear on the slate;
- soft roof delaminates;
- The protective coating is peeled off from the metal tiles.
Cutting down icicles right under the roof and directing the blow towards the walls. This can damage both the roofing material and the walls of the house.
Moving on a slippery roof without ladders. This can only be done in studded shoes, but then there is a risk of damage to the roofing material.

How to prevent snow accumulation on the roof

The work associated with cleaning the roof from snow and ice requires not only a lot of time, but also effort. Therefore, it is better to prevent snow from accumulating on the roofing. To do this, you need to perform the following steps:

If the chimney is mounted at a considerable distance from the ridge, in winter a large amount of snow accumulates behind it. If it is plastic, this may damage it. To protect the pipe in front of it at a distance of 20–30 cm, you need to install a snow guard. It will hold the layer of snow until it melts, then there will be no heavy load on the chimney.

Video: how the angle of the roof affects the accumulation of snow on it

Now you understand that if there is a large amount of snow and ice on the roof, it must be cleaned. In a private home, you can do this work yourself. It's enough to have everything necessary tools, know the work procedure and follow safety rules. The cleaning method you choose will depend on your physical abilities, the condition of the roof, the roofing material used and the thickness of the snow cover.

In winter, clearing the roof of snow becomes very important, as ice can cause damage to buildings.

During a thaw, snowballs and ice falling from a great height can injure passers-by and cause damage to cars.

Clearing the roof of snow and ice will help preserve the integrity of the facade, roof and gutters.

Ice can easily destroy metal structures, concrete and brick, so you should be interested in how to remove snow from the roof before frost begins.

Safety precautions when cleaning roofs

The high load exerted by ice causes the roof sheathing to sag, as a result of which the frame of the entire building becomes less strong.

But neglect of cleaning the roof from snow can lead to other dangerous consequences: from partial sliding of ice from roofs to total collapse of frozen masses.

Responsibility for possible damage lies either with the owners of the building or with the services responsible for the timely completion of work.

Snow and ice removal from roofs should be carried out using wide wooden shovels. Tools made from wood will not damage roofing materials.

It should be borne in mind that cleaning the snow on the roof of a house is not necessary when its layer is too thin. But on overhangs and in places where icicles are close to gutters, cleaning the roof from snow and ice must be done.

Ice along the edges of pitched roofs must be removed using special hooks. Roofs are completely cleared of snow when its layer reaches 30 cm.

A worker cleaning a roof with his own hands must be secured with a safety rope at least 1.2 cm thick from any robust construction on the roof to the life belt.

But the cable cannot be tied to the chimney pipe, television and radio broadcasting antennas, since they are not very strong and will not be able to hold an adult.

Without insurance and special non-slip shoes, removing snow from the roof is very dangerous, so an unequipped person is not allowed to work.

Snow removal from roofs must be carried out from all slopes. This must be done in order to general design the roof was not subjected to one-sided load.

When clearing the roof of snow and ice, you need to leave a thin layer (up to 5 cm) of ice crust, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the roof covering.

Most important rules on safety precautions when cleaning roofs:

the snow and ice removal worker must be equipped with non-slip shoes and safety nets;
It is prohibited to use a wet rope for belaying - it must first be dried;
Do not throw masses of snow and ice onto television, electrical and telephone wires and cables, or onto protruding parts of water and gas pipes.

Mechanical method of removing snow and ice

On pitched roofs, snow should be cleared regularly 2 m from the edge after each heavy snowfall and the roof should be completely cleaned once a month.

If winter precipitation occurs frequently, the snow masses slide to the edge much faster, and the amount of ice increases.

During periods of frequent and heavy snowfalls, complete cleaning of roofs should be carried out two or four times a month, depending on the thickness of the layer.

Flat roofs are cleaned after each snowfall, since the weight of the snow forms a hard ice crust, which can only be broken with a crowbar.

Due to the abundant amount of snow, the roof is under great pressure, and during ice removal there is a risk of damaging its covering.

When it warms up, the ice frame will begin to melt quickly and abundantly, and the resulting water will flow into all existing holes in the material, so you need to clean the roof as carefully as possible.

To clear a private house from a large amount of snow on the roof, you need to use the most accessible mechanical method. A special shovel with a wooden blade is suitable for this.

If the roofs of large buildings are cleaned mechanically, then industrial mountaineering methods are used to increase the efficiency of the work.

Clearing roofs of ice begins with marking the attachment points for safety cables on the roof.

In some cases, air ducts are used for such purposes, but it is best to install fastenings for a stationary safety cable located along the roofs.

When clearing snow from a roof, specialists use tools selected depending on the characteristics of the roof.

If metal tiles, which are common today, were used to cover the building, then snow can be removed from the roof surface using pushers specially designed for this purpose, designed to match the profile of the covering material.

You can clear snow from a roof covered with other materials using wooden shovels. Some models of this tool are equipped with protective rubber inserts on the blades.

To break off masses of ice, special blunted picks are used.

Technical method for cleaning roofs

At technical way Achievements are applied to clear roofs of snow and ice modern technologies in this area.

To protect your home from excessive icing on the roof, you can use one of these developments - the “roofing without icicles” system.

If the water drainage system does not work (its passage may be blocked by ice and debris), then ice will form abundantly on the roof of the building.

But even when the fluid is drained correctly, the appearance of icicles cannot always be avoided.

The roof radiates a small amount of heat at any time of the year, including winter, which helps melt ice and snow.

The resulting liquid slowly flows down the roof, and in frosty weather it freezes, forming icicles.

The operation of the roof anti-icing system is aimed at preventing the formation of ice and icicles using heating electrical cables.

They are laid along the edges of the roof, including in gutters - in those places where ice mainly forms.

There are several requirements for the quality of heating electrical cables:

the cable and its sheath must have high wear resistance;
resistance to sunlight, temperature changes, precipitation and wind;
the presence of a metal braid;
high degree of insulation.

When installing cables for roof heating, “cold” supply cables, controls and distribution boxes are connected to the system.

Anti-icing systems are equipped with automation, so they are equipped with sensors that measure the temperature and humidity of the environment.

This is necessary because the anti-ice system only works during the thaw period, since snow does not melt at sub-zero temperatures naturally, and the system consumes a large amount of energy without providing any useful effect.

When installing an anti-icing system, rubber and self-regulating cables are used.

Rubber ones have constant resistance along the entire length and increased strength.

The main disadvantage of these cables is that they have a limited length, so installation of the system may cause difficulties.

Self-regulating cables can be of different lengths. In addition, unlike rubber ones, they are able to change the heating temperature in different areas, which eliminates the ineffective consumption of thermal and electrical energy.

Cleaning roofs using chemicals

One of available funds For cleaning, use pure salt or salt mixed with sand, as it is inexpensive.

The freezing point of a salt solution is significantly lower than clean water, so snow and ice coated with powder or solution begins to melt quickly.

Positive aspects of using salt:

availability;
efficiency;
low freezing point of saline solution;
long shelf life;
fast action;
fire safety.

When used correctly and in compliance with safety regulations, industrial salt does not harm nature.

The main disadvantage of salt is that, once it gets on the sidewalk and asphalt, it destroys car tires and shoe soles, and increases the risk of metal corrosion.

Solid and liquid reagents are a replacement for technical salt. Once on the ice, the solid reagent actively absorbs the liquid, and it begins to quickly melt, releasing a small amount of heat.

An increase in temperature causes active destruction of snow and ice masses. The resulting reagent solution freezes at temperatures lower than water, so new ice does not form.

The difference between liquid and solid reagents lies in the method of their application. During snowfalls and active melting, solid mixtures are used, and in dry, frosty weather, liquid mixtures are used.

Most quality product in the fight against ice masses is a reagent that can dissolve large volumes of ice and snow during severe frosts.

In addition to the listed requirements, the drug must cause the least harm environment, buildings, transport and pedestrians.

Of course, none of the listed methods for removing snow and ice are completely effective and suitable for all situations.

It is necessary to take into account many factors when choosing a cleaning product - from the characteristics of the roof to the budget.

To choose the most suitable option When cleaning the roof from snow, it is better to seek help from a specialist.